Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-E Motifs in Japanese Tattoo
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Japanese Art as Tattoo and Vice Versa
  • tops on the cultural context of the japanese tattoo
  • Masterful Examination of Floating World Arts
Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-E Motifs in Japanese Tattoo
Takahiro Kitamura , and Katie M. Kitamura
Manufacturer: KIT Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9074822452

Book Description

This unique book by tattoo artist Takahiro Kitamura (Horitaka, a pupil of Horiyoshi III) discusses the art of the Japanese tattoo in the context of Ukiyo-e, concentrating on the parallel histories of the woodblock print and the tattoo. Through high quality illustrations it shows that the Japanese tattoo is highly reliant on and linked to the woodblock print and that it deserves a position among the other art forms. A range of typical ukiyo-e motifs in the Japanese tattoo are discussed and illustrated by the original Japanese prints, and sketches, drawings and tattoos by tattoo master Horiyoshi III. The book ends with a special essay by Don Ed Hardy.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Japanese Art as Tattoo and Vice Versa.......2005-05-12

Never has a book demonstrated so well the relationship between Japanese wood block prints and tattoos. Despite the seeming deluge of complex images that appear in large Japanese tattoos and body suits, the elements and themes are actually not that many and are readily recognized with practice. Tattoo artists will pour over this volume and collectors (both book and tattoo) shouldn't be without it.

4 out of 5 stars tops on the cultural context of the japanese tattoo.......2003-07-09

Takahiro Kitamura's "Tattoos of the Floating World" is far from a be-all and end-all guide to Japanese tattoos. However, it is for the moment without peer in providing a cultural context, and it thus adds depth to a reading of many other favorites, including Fellman's "The Japanese Tattoo," Addiss' "Japanese Ghosts and Demons," and Klompmakers' "Of Brigands and Bravery: Kuniyoshi's Heroes of the Suikoden."

In this slender volume, Kitamura's primary focus is the linkage of the woodblock printing tradition of the Edo period (1615-1868) to the development of the tattoo as art. With such a focus, afficionados of the print artists Kuniyoshi, Kunisada, and Kunichika will find many illustrations to delight them, and there are as well photographs of the current artistry being worked by tattoo masters. Adding to the value of the book are a preface written by Donald Richie and an afterword by Don Ed Hardy. The first essay is elegiac and lyrical in tone; the second provides personal insights by a Western connoisseur of the tattoo art form.

The shortcomings of "Tattoos of the Floating World" concern what is not included. The book would have benefitted greatly from having an index as well as a more generously-executed glossary. Moreover, I regret that Kitamura, who as a tattoo artist is uniquely qualified to do so, did not more systematically and fully catalogue and explain the symbolism of Japanese tattoos.

5 out of 5 stars Masterful Examination of Floating World Arts.......2003-05-03

Most tattoo afficianados are aware that Japanese tattoos are steeped in history and culture. But Tattoos Of The Floating World: Ukiy-o Motifs In The Japanese tattoo explores this history and culture in a way never done before. Takahiro Kitamura's research and unique insight combine to present the reader with not only a history of the Japanese tattoo, but also with an understanding of how it came to be, how it continued to maintain its traditions through centuries of persecution and cultural metamorphosis, and how it both influenced and was influenced by the contemporary arts of early Japan.

The first half of this excellent work explores the early history of the Floating World (as pleasure districts were known as Japan's Edo period), focusing on the "triumvirate of arts": ukiyo-e (wood block prints), irezumi (tattoos), and kabuki theatre. Ukiyo-e and irezumi are so closely intertwined that tattoos of the day were referred to as horimono (carved object) in deference to the process of carving a wood block print. Kabuki was the theatre of the people and expressed not only the history and mythology of Japan, but the people's innermost desires as well. Kitamura's exploration of the ways in which these three arts intertwined demonstrates his love of the topic and inspires a similar affection in the reader.

The latter half of Tattoos Of The Floating World details many of the themes so strongly connected with Japanese Tattoo today. Sections devoted to such heroes as Fudo Myoo, Fujin and Raijin, Kumonryu Shishin, and Tennin give a basic understanding of their characters themselves and their endurance as tattoo motifs. Details are also provided on such traditional images as dragons, koi, shunga, falcons, the Kurikaraken, tigers and the phoenix.

Illustrated throughout with ukiyo-e, original sketches by Horiyoshi III, and photographs by Jai Tanju, this work is as beautiful as it is educational. The pairing of sketches next to their finished tattoos highlights the artistry involved in Japanese tattoo while the presentation of ukiyo-e prints alongside tattoos of the same characters and motifs demonstrates the cultural and historic similarities.

As a special bonus, Don Ed Hardy weighs in with an essay exploring his own discovery of Japanese tattoo. Ed Hardy is the foremost American authority on Japanese tattoo and was one of the first Westerners to write on the subject. This essay follows his discovery of Japanese tattoo and his adventures in crossing the borders (both physical and cultural) between Japanese and Western tattooing.
Japanese Erotic Fantasies: Sexual Imagery of the Edo Period
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The best collectionI've seen
Japanese Erotic Fantasies: Sexual Imagery of the Edo Period
Chris Uhlenbeck , and Margarita Winkel
Manufacturer: Hotei Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  5. Utamaro: Portraits from the Floating World Utamaro: Portraits from the Floating World

ASIN: 9074822665

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The best collectionI've seen.......2005-06-05

It's a wonderful collection for a variety of reasons: the beautiful reproduction, the many poses and practices it shows, the many artists and styles, the scholarly but interesting commentary, and attention to a print-lover's details.

The depictions cover the whole range of possible couplings, plus a number of impossible ones. Most of the pictures focus on coupling of one man and one woman, but men together, women singly or together, multiples of each, and even mythical beasts appear in various samples. At least a few pictures show use of toys, genital kisses and caresses, and even cleanup tissues - a little touch that lends familiarity to this unfamiliar culture. Another point appealed to me as well, that all or nearly all scenes show happy, consenting partners.

The historical notes are what such notes should be. They explain the unfamiliar or point out details, without belaboring the obvious. Descriptions of the prints themselves could have been a bit better, especially regarding foxing, fading, and other signs of age. I was glad to see the damaged images, though. It gives viewers a more realistic idea of what to expect when the see prints in galleries or stores, and I'd rather see the image damaged that never see it at all.

In terms of printing and image-making techniques, this book spans a very wide range. The collection is dominated by 17-19th century woodcuts, in the familiar colored style or simple linear images. The authors have also included some of the cartoons that would have been used to guide the artisan cutting the blocks, as well as pencil drawings made for their own sake. There are a few clever fold-outs, including one where, upon lifting the tablecloth on the print, we see lovers playing footsie under the table. Another series (cat. 87) shows a lovely set of prints in a style new to me, one that imitates traditional ink drawings. Others (cat. 84) use "blind impressions" to emboss patterns into the print. Careful photography shows how the indentations enhance the patterns of the fabric, or (in a second print) describe the modeling of the figures and their musculature. In a few cases, the authors show multiple impressions of a given image, to show how instances of the "same" image may differ.

If you have just one book of Edo-era erotica, make it this one. It's beautiful, broad, and informative in many ways. Best of all, it gives a very happy impression of the players and their play.

//wiredweird
Easy Japanese Pickling in Five Minutes to One Day: 101 Full-Color Recipes for Authentic Tsukemono
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • I love this little pickling book!
  • Another way to have fresh veggies
  • perfect Japanese pickles
  • Great encyclopedia of Far Eastern pickles
  • Can't get any easier!
Easy Japanese Pickling in Five Minutes to One Day: 101 Full-Color Recipes for Authentic Tsukemono
Seiko Ogawa
Manufacturer: Japan Publications Trading
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 4889961135

Book Description

Packed with 101 full-color recipes, this slim volume is the perfect introduction to Japanese pickling. Traditionally, many favorite Japanese pickling techniques take days or months. In this book, author Seiko Ogawa demonstrates new methods to make even nukazuke-pickles made in a rich-tasting
base that traditionally took weeks to set up--in just one day.

Recipes include:
SPRING/SUMMER: Marinated Red Cabbage; Speedy Sauerkraut; Kimchee-Style Crosscut Cucumbers; Ginger-Miso Okra; Curried Cauliflower; Pickled Ginger for Sushi; Nukazuke

FALL/WINTER: Sesame Eggplant; Carrot Ribbons with Raisins; Thousand-Layer Turnips

SPECIAL: Strawberry Syrup (and Strawberry Cream Soda); Honey-Orange Syrup (and Orange Jelly); Wine-Honey Chicken Fritters; Spiced Vinegar; Rosemary Honey

For Japanese cooking enthusiasts who already own either book, our book will be a new, updated, refreshing addition to the library. It's the only one to focus on speedy pickles.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I love this little pickling book!.......2007-09-02

Lots of fun and quick recipes. Great reason to explore all of the unique grocers in Southeast Michigan to find all of the ingredients. I really love the ginger-honey-lemon recipe to make my own ginger ale.

5 out of 5 stars Another way to have fresh veggies.......2007-05-10

If you love pickles but worry about the perservatives harming your health from the pickles, this book is right for you. It is very simple and fast to get crispy, yummy vegetables. Not your familiar salad dressing, however, if you are close to any Asian grocery store or just order on line for things like kombu and bonito, you will get it done easily by following the photos step by step.

5 out of 5 stars perfect Japanese pickles.......2007-01-29

Before I became entranced by Japanese cuisine I had no idea how much pickles were a part of the experience. Since I've begun my education into Japanese food, I have been stunned by the sheer variety of tsukemono.

I made one of the quick cabbage pickles, which took about twenty minutes to have the best crisp, salty pickled cabbage I have ever eaten. I stood in the kitchen and ate it all! It was so delicious that I set about to make as many pickles as I could from the book.

All of them have been successful and tasty. I have impressed friends and family with my tsukemono - we eat them with everything - not just Japanese food. They make great accompaniment to picnic food and are perfect for bento box lunches.

This full color book is exquisite with photos for every recipe and photos on preparation too. I am so happy this was my first book on tsukemono, I am addicted!

5 out of 5 stars Great encyclopedia of Far Eastern pickles.......2004-10-18

This book is full of color photos, not just of finished dishes, but of the main ingredients before cooking. This is especially helpful for those of us who are not Japanese and who do not know what a particular Japanese ingredient is. Of course many of these ingredients may not be available in regular supermarkets, but if you go to an Asian supermarket, especially a Japanese specialty store, you will find them there. Personally I never liked Western style pickles (too sour) so I am happy to find this book. I like to make them the night before so I have pickled vegetables the next morning for breakfast, along with hot cereal that's cooked overnight from a crock pot - I hate cooking for breakfast in the morning! These pickles are so refreshing they are great when eaten with a heavy, fatty dish, or as an appetizer. All recipes are very easy and some steps are even pictured in full color in case you are not sure about the procedure. There are also a few recipes that use pickles as ingredients.

5 out of 5 stars Can't get any easier!.......2003-06-21

The recipes are easy to follow. Some of the recipes have photos picturing specific steps of the recipes and all have the finished product photo. This book will also recommend different recipes & their page numbers for the originally called for main vegetable, which gives you a large variety of tsukemono recipes. There are also some suggestions on using the finished products in main dish recipes.
Shin Hanga: The New Print Movement of Japan
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Up-dating Ukiyoe
  • Profusely and beautifully illustrated with more than one hundred color images
Shin Hanga: The New Print Movement of Japan
Barry Till
Manufacturer: Pomegranate Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764940392

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Up-dating Ukiyoe.......2007-05-12

Small introductory book that will update your knowledge of what happened to ukiyoe and how Japanese woodblock prints morphed into Shin Hanga or new prints in the twentieth century. The woodblock print which was once a group effort became only the artist's creation. It's about the transition and expansion of subjects from the "Floating world" of the entertainment quarters in Kyoto and Tokyo to everyday life in modernized Japan. The Japanese love the sights and sounds of their country and are tourists par excellance from school to old age. It's no surprise that the landscapes of Hiroshige and Hokusai of famous sites translate easily to modern day views of the same famous Japanese places in the prints of Hasui,Yoshida and Kasamatsu. Mannered actor prints become more real and the Bijin prints of geisha change from the artificial to beauty in the natural female form in everyday life.

5 out of 5 stars Profusely and beautifully illustrated with more than one hundred color images.......2007-05-12

The Japanese term 'shin hanga' means 'new prints'. "Shin Hanga: The New Print Movement Of Japan" by curator Barry Till is a impressively illustrated and informative history of the 'new prints' art movement beginning with the Meiji period (1868-1912), continuing through the prewar years of the 1930s, and going on to the artists of the 1960s. Profusely and beautifully illustrated with more than one hundred color images, "Shin Hanga" is very strongly recommended for academic and community library Art History reference collections, and will prove to be of immense interest for art students, artists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Japanese culture, art and history.
Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Informational and Interesting Read!
  • the cut sleeves of Tokugawa
  • A major academic work that was a pleasure to read
  • Amazing history of homosexuality.....
  • Thorough Research--Excellent Result
Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan
Gary Leupp
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520209001

Book Description

Tokugawa Japan ranks with ancient Athens as a society that not only tolerated, but celebrated, male homosexual behavior. Few scholars have seriously studied the subject, and until now none have satisfactorily explained the origins of the tradition or elucidated how its conventions reflected class structure and gender roles. Gary P. Leupp fills the gap with a dynamic examination of the origins and nature of the tradition. Based on a wealth of literary and historical documentation, this study places Tokugawa homosexuality in a global context, exploring its implications for contemporary debates on the historical construction of sexual desire.
Combing through popular fiction, law codes, religious works, medical treatises, biographical material, and artistic treatments, Leupp traces the origins of pre-Tokugawa homosexual traditions among monks and samurai, then describes the emergence of homosexual practices among commoners in Tokugawa cities. He argues that it was "nurture" rather than "nature" that accounted for such conspicuous male/male sexuality and that bisexuality was more prevalent than homosexuality. Detailed, thorough, and very readable, this study is the first in English or Japanese to address so comprehensively one of the most complex and intriguing aspects of Japanese history.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Informational and Interesting Read!.......2004-02-25

I bought this book last year when I was doing a study on the construction of modern Japan, and I saw this book and thought it looked interesting. I didn't end up reading it until a few months ago, but once I started it I didn't put it down. This is a really interesting and accesible book. Although it is filled with lots of information, it is well written so that it flows along like a novel. It is easy and interesting to read, without being clogged down with lots of scientific and research terms. Although the topic of Japanese homosexuality isn't one that I have studied too intensly, I found this novel to be very interesting and I think it gives an excellent over-view to the subject.

5 out of 5 stars the cut sleeves of Tokugawa.......2003-06-27

This is an extraordinary book. The author begins telling the reader that even in today's Japanese studies circle there is still bias against those who research such things as this book. With that in mind, I delved into this fascinating book. Before going into the book's contents I want to say that Dr. Leupp writes in a style that is very easy to read while conveying a great deal of information. Before I started reading this book I was worried that he was going to write in such an academic way that it would leave the subject matter quite sterile. That definately is not the case. The author begins the book at first with an explanation of the long hitorical trends of homosexuality that can be found in the histories of China and Korea and he places these histories of homosexul cultures beside those of Greece and other European countries. He then delves into the homosexual tradition of early Japan mainly focusing on the Imperial Court, Buddhist and Shinto monks and priests, and finally Samurai. After setting this precedent, he goes into detail of Tokugawa homosexuality, mainly focusing on Kabuki actors and Prostitutes. He uses examples from both historical records and literature. This is a great book that should be read by those who are interested in not only homosexual history, but those who are looking for a fuller understanding of Japanese hitory.

5 out of 5 stars A major academic work that was a pleasure to read.......2002-11-11

Not many scholarly works read well, but this one does. Even if you are not a student of Japanese history and culture, "Male Colors" is a pleasure. Yes, there are sections with a lot of Japanese names (particularly when the author cites a string of sources), but by and large, this work is very accessable to us mere mortals who are interested in the history of same-sex love.

Initially, as the author describes, same-sex love in Japan was something practiced by elite groups: first the Zen Buddhist monks who are believed to have imported the practice from China (a curious notion because this also carries the connotation that homosexuality came from "some place else") and then the samuri elite. While factors such as the lack of eligible women may have contributed to the general acceptance of bisexuality, many, if not most, of the practicers of nanshoku had deep emotional ties to their partners. But as urban life began to grow, nanshoku was popularized through a combination of the kabuki theater and the commercial sex enterprises that cropped up.

Also interesting were all the examples of art depicting nanshoku, some of it quite ribald and most of it graphic. But that just lends more weight to the notion that there was no stigma attached to boy love during this period in Japan, at least not a universal stigma; it was quite nearly universally tolerated and any effort to control nanshoku usually was to control violent fights over popular boy prostitutes rather than a governmental decree against homosexual sex.

The book is heavy on male sexuality with little mention of lesbianism, but that's hardly a surprise considering most cultures tend to be strongly patriarchal and it is the men who record history. And as usual, it appears that it was through contact with the West, particularly with Christian missionaries, that the practice of nanshoku was eventually shunned into the crepuscular corners of Japanese culture. More evidence that if there is harm caused by same-sex activity, the harm is caused by a prudish societal mentality orignating in a rigid Judeo-Christian ethic that thrives on domination and guilt.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing history of homosexuality............2001-07-08

The history of Japanese homosexuality is full of references to males dressing up as girls and serving powerful men in submissive relationships. Evidently bisexuality was the prevalent norm for Japanese MEN as almost every shogan has several 'beautiful boys' in addition to the women they kept. Many were exclusively devoted to beautiful young men---almost always dressed and acting like girls. This theme practically defines homosexuality in ancient Japan...the Japanese word for homosexuality was NANSHOKU which is loosely translates to english as "Male Colors". Nanshuko was so consistent in it's expression for so many years that it almost qualifies as a artistic expression or preference.

"Bishounen means not only cute, harmonic, lovely boy features but refers to the open feminity of a boy, and the way he can be associated to feminine beauty and delicacy. It involves the heavenly face whose beauty is deeply androgynous though boyish enough to remind us of his male gender, the curvy hips, legs and butt the standard bishounen soprts and make him attractive to both sexes, the evident delicacy of manners and personality and, most important of all, the homosexual tendencies the boy shows by liking other, more masculine males."

It is amazing that this expression of homosexual desire would exist so long in Japanese history even into a modern Japanese anime genre called "Yaoi"

4 out of 5 stars Thorough Research--Excellent Result.......2001-05-21

Gary Leupp's research was clearly thorough, and his end-result benefitted greatly from it. Although I already knew of both the monastic and samurai traditions of same-sex pairings, to see the extent to which this permeated Tokugawa society was fascinating. It also gave strong argument to the constructivist theory of homosexuality, which, when considered alongside biological factors, makes for a coherent picture of sexuality in society. It's clear from the work that more research can and should be done: same-sex pairings among women, and the shift from the Tokugawa to the Modern era in Japan and the resulting changes in sexuality would make for excellent books as well. One curious thing is the appendix of glossed terms in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. I for one would have appreciated more than a vocabulary list; if the notes in the text had contained the original language versions of his text, I'd have been happier.
Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Floating World
Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Rupert Faulkner
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 4770023871

Book Description

Ever since Japan opened its doors to the West in the latter half of the nineteenth century, Westerners have been fascinated by the exquisite art forms that flourished during the previous two hundred years of self-imposed isolation. Among the most intriguing were the bold yet refined paintings
and prints known as ukiyo-e, which portrayed the popular pursuits of the time with extraordinary power. Such was the appeal of this unique art in the West that tens of thousands of superb prints eventually found their way into museum collections around the world.

The present volume highlights over 130 outstanding examples from the vast holdings of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Strikingly original and sumptuously colored, the ukiyo-e in these pages recapture the spirit of the period in which they were created. Here can be found the glamorous
courtesans of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters, the flamboyant vigor of kabuki theater, and the diversities of the Japanese landscape.

The prints form a breathtaking panorama of the world of ukiyo-e from its inception to its final flowering at the end of the nineteenth century. Complementary texts by Rupert Faulkner and Richard Lane illuminate the craft of woodblock print making and explore the emergence of such versatile geniuses
as Hokusai and Hiroshige.

The lasting appeal of Japanese woodblock prints may be rooted in the richness of their imagery and the power of their innovation, or perhaps in their uncanny ability to convey the special vitality of Edo Japan. Whatever the case, this lavish volume seeks not only to pay homage to the Japanese
artists and craftsmen who took the woodblock print to unprecedented heights, but also to show the range of this astonishingly versatile art form.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Floating World.......1999-05-31

Unexpected earnings from the Great Exhibition of 1851 (at the Crystal Palace in London) were used to establish the following year the Victoria and Albert Museum, the world's largest collection of applied art and design. In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry made his famous expedition to Japan, which had been isolated for 250 years, and set up trade agreements. Examples of Western technology (locomotive, telegraph, camera) were given to the Japanese, and Japanese artifacts to Westerners. Of particular impact were Japanese woodcuts of the 17th through 19th centuries, called ukiyo-e or images of "the floating world," tens of thousands of which ended up in museum collections throughout the world. Many (perhaps most) American and European artists and designers were influenced by the then-strange stylistic traits of these prints (crisp black outlines, bold flat areas of color, asymmetrical arrangements, and dramatic cropping), among them such people as Whistler, Manet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Aubrey Beardsley, and Frank Lloyd Wright. "All my work," wrote Vincent van Gogh to his brother, "is in a way founded on Japanese art." This stunning volume is a full-color treasury of 130 of those woodcuts (introduced and annotated by scholars) from the many now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. (Copyright © by Roy R. Behrens from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol. 14 No. 3, Spring 1999.)
Hokusai One Hundred Poets
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    Hokusai One Hundred Poets
    Peter Morse
    Manufacturer: George Braziller
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    AsianAsian | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    PrintmakingPrintmaking | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    HokusaiHokusai | ( G-I ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 0807612138

    Book Description

    This lavishly illustrated, oversized (17" x 10") book brings together the last major print series of the celebrated Japanese artist Hokusai (1760-1849) and the Japanese poetry that inspired these beautiful prints.

    Whether showing semi-nude women abalone divers struggling with their catch while a male crew of shriveled old salts leers from a nearby boat, or the carefree rapture of a leisurely group of men and women observing cherry blossoms at their peak, Hokusai captures, with drama and delicacy, sublime and ridiculous states. The artist's simplicity, though deceptive, is also remarkable: he illustrates a poem about a lovers' seaside tryst with a magnificently imposing yet unadorned sailing vessel, its small window offering a coy glimpse of the fortunate couple inside.

    Each of the 111 color prints (as well as 41 black-and-white sketches of projected prints apparently never completed) is accompanied by the poem, in Japanese and English, a biographical note on the poet and by Peter Morse's comments on literary and artistic intention and execution.
    Japanese Popular Prints: From Votive Slips to Playing Cards
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      Japanese Popular Prints: From Votive Slips to Playing Cards
      Rebecca Salter
      Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      AsianAsian | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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      GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
      PrintsPrints | Other Media | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0824830830

      Book Description

      In the West, we tend to associate Japanese prints with the ukiyo-e tradition—prints based on the aristocracy, cultural heroes, actors, and the beautiful people of the time. These prints were (and are) considered to be fine art, using the highest quality of materials and immense time and skill. But behind the scenes, Japanese printmakers in the major cities were also catering for a working class culture, using intense speed and poor quality materials to create beautiful multicolored decorative papers, votive name cards, games, playing cards, gift envelopes, and paper screens. In this book, Rebecca Salter explores this tradition and also the work that is still being done today in this field. The result is a fascinating look at an exciting and beautiful art form.
      The Mechanics of Anime and Manga Volume I: Drawing an Anime or Manga Character from Concept to Color (The Mechanics of Anime and Manga)
      Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
      • Not quite what I was looking for
      The Mechanics of Anime and Manga Volume I: Drawing an Anime or Manga Character from Concept to Color (The Mechanics of Anime and Manga)
      Studio Imagiks
      Manufacturer: Wordware Publishing, Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      GeneralGeneral | Commercial | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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      3. How to Draw Manga: Bodies & Anatomy How to Draw Manga: Bodies & Anatomy
      4. How To Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Volume 2: The Basics Of Characters And Materials (How to Draw Manga S.) How To Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Volume 2: The Basics Of Characters And Materials (How to Draw Manga S.)
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      Book Description

      This book is for professional, amateur, and hobby artists who are interested in adapting the anime and manga styles into their own work. Whether for commercial use or personal enjoyment, incorporating the anime style is both challenging and interesting. This book places an emphasis on creating an original character design from concept to digital color. It is the first in a series to describe the methods used in creating a finished anime.

      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars Not quite what I was looking for.......2007-03-19

      It's got some information, but nothing I really didn't know. It's full of pictures, and not necessarily help for creating characters. I think I was looking for something that wasn't intended to be in here, as it is clearly a book on Anime and Manga mechanics.
      Colors of Japan (Colors of the World)
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Great book on color, for kids and adults!
      Colors of Japan (Colors of the World)
      Holly Littlefield
      Manufacturer: Carolrhoda Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 1575052156

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Great book on color, for kids and adults!.......2007-03-13

      It is very pared down, and very basic (obviously because it is for children) but for anyone learning about the varied use of color in different cultures, these books are the best! I wish it was linked to the other books (Colors of Mexico, etc.) better, I didn't even know it was a series at first. But I came back for more! There are a lot of complicated books about color usage, so it is refreshing to have a simple format like this. If I had children I'd buy them the whole set, and write to the publisher asking for all the countries they didn't include.

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